Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-11-01
MISCELLANEOUS.
Tricks of Thieves.
Incidents Shoeoing the Goodness and
- -, - Deeterity Of the f" Crook
[Ffom Chambers Journal. !

Although a man always looks upon clever
theft with an air of romance, he never quite
realizes the position until the thief or sharper
has feeced himself. We are apt to laugh at
the misfortunes of the man who puts his head
out of his cab on foggy day, in answer to
knock at the window. and finds his hat disap-
pearing in the gloom. Nor do we show more
sympathy with the man who co:lides with an
other individual in the street, and who, on bav-
ing his hat, which has fallen, handed back with
r5roftTse apologies aeesSieFst, s1TSf
its size and general appearance that not many
hours before It must have adorned q scarecrow.
But these incidents in no way illustrate the
coolness and intrepidity of the professional
thief; who docs not usually aim at trifcs.
Last winter an ingenious theft was pcrpctra-
ted by two welI-known pickpockets, who had
followed gentleman ont of the stalls of u
Leeds theatre. For moment they parted
company. and when tho younger Joined his
companion he handed him a pocket-book, from
which were taken some notes and money. To
substitute false notes was the work of a sec
oud. '' You have lost your pocket-book, sir,'
said the elder thief, hurrying after the gentle
man. With cool bow the thief hastcncd
away, pleased with the gentleman's thanks
and his watch.
At Birmingham. not long ago. thief was
detected in the act of stealing gcntleman's
watch. In his haste to escape he ran into the
arms of detective who had been watching
him for some time. Naturally the thief uust
have felt somewhat excited ut such a moment,
but if he did he showed no symptoms of being
So Although instantly secured by the unen-
viable handouts, he had the presence of mind
tr ;otn tho
Of a passer by This person was puzzled to
know how he became the possessor of the
watch, and being afraid Of keeping the gift,
was sufficiently honest to land it to the police
Another instance of the remarkable GOODNESS
and audacity of thief, though perhaps not an
uncommon one is worth relating. One day .
Liverpool }" stalk'-a man capable Of doing
mischief of any kind for a trife-having
watched his opportunity, took up coat that
hung outside a pawnbroker's shop. Flinging
it over his arm, and carrying it into the shop
ns If intending to make e purchaee, he offered
| it for sale. Not recognizing his own property,
the pawnbroker bought the coat. But even
this did not satisfy the thief. He handled some
silk handkerchiefs and in choosing one re-
marked careless1y Take pay for this out of
the money for the coat" 'sBut have given
you the money" Indignantly answered the
pawnbroker. "O.,no, you lhaven'Bj" said the
thief. a warm alteration ensued. In vain
the shopman protested thGt he had paid the
money; and ut last the thiefywent out in search
of an officer to settle the dispute. taking with
him some silver spoons, several silk handker-
chiefs, as well as the silk handkerchief in ques-
ton. which in his excitement the broker had
forgotten. ~ -'
But the thief Is not aiways SO cool and col
Iectcd as we are wont to believe him. He is
especially unnerved by hunger and the police.
Not long ago a Well-known actor, while in the
provinces, had occasion TO walk some distance
at midnight, and was stopped on a lonely road
BY an ill-cIad rufiau. 8: FoolI" muttered the
actor. coolly, there's an officer within a hun
dred yards of us M" With an exclama-
ton the thief disappeared over a wall, and the
next morning his dead body was found in q
river close by, tBto which in his haste he had
fallen. FF+.
Some five or SIX years ago the sbopkeepers
of Bradford were thrown into a state Of alarm
by couple of young lads. One of the two
used to make u small purchase at Q shop, and
by telling a plausible tale that boy outside
would take the purchase from hirD If It were
I seen, he got the sbOpman to put the article
down the back of his coat. While thus en-
PIoyed, the ingenious lad very easily relieved
the shopmau of his watch, and then boIted.-
after him came the q boy outside to inform
the shopman of his loss. The latter, having
had carefully described to him the road that
the thief had not taken, ran at once after the
eufPrit, the second boy in the meantime help
ed himself to the contents of the till. How Of
ten this larceny was practiced few shopmen in
Bradford care to remember. Once, for the
WTitef's edtaeatiOn, a youDg lad, not more than
fifteen seafs of age, undertook TO stand in q
prominent thoroughfare in Leeds and open the
ladies, sstehels as they passed without being
lobseFSed. He never failed once, aud very of!